New Super Luigi U

It has been requested that at least one audio and/or video file related to this article be uploaded. Please upload all related music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this article. See the help page for information on how to get started.

New Super Luigi U
North American box cover. For alternate box art, see the game's gallery.
Developer	Nintendo EAD
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Wii U
Release date	As DLC June 19, 2013 June 20, 2013 June 20, 2013[?] June 21, 2013 As standalone July 13, 2013 July 26, 2013 July 27, 2013 August 25, 2013[?]
Language(s)	English (United Kingdom) English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Portuguese (Portugal) Russian Japanese
Genre	Platformer
Rating(s)	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - Three years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: - General USK: - All ages FPB: - Parental guidance
Mode(s)	Single-player Multiplayer
Format	Wii U: Optical disc Digital download
Input	Wii U: Wii U GamePad Wii Remote (horizontal) Wii U Pro Controller
Serial code(s)	WUP-ARSJ-JPN

New Super Luigi U (stylized as New Super Luigi Bros. U) is an expansion game for New Super Mario Bros. U, released as part of the Year of Luigi, celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Luigi's initial debut. It features Luigi as the main player, with Yellow Toad, Blue Toad, and notably, Nabbit (who replaces Mario from the original game) playable in multiplayer mode. Although it refers to him, the game does not feature Mario himself at all. The title was first released on the Nintendo eShop on Wii U for region price as downloadable content for New Super Mario Bros. U; the game must be updated to version 1.3.0 before New Super Luigi U can be accessed in-game, and requires 731.4 MB of memory to be installed. Once downloaded, the prompt to access the Nintendo eShop to download the expansion is replaced with a prompt to go to the main menu for New Super Luigi U. Support for the Wii U Pro Controller is also included in addition to and the controls in New Super Mario Bros. U. The game was later released at retail as a standalone game for region price, not requiring New Super Mario Bros. U to play. Both games were later released in a compilation known as New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U, initially included exclusively in the Mario & Luigi Wii U Deluxe Set bundle, but later released as a standalone Nintendo Selects disc at a price cheaper than either game individually (the precise price is dependent on the region). This game was also included in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch. The DLC was later removed from the Wii U eShop due to its discontinuation on March 27, 2023, making it no longer possible for players to purchase it. However, players who purchased the DLC before this date can still play it as long as it is on their Wii U device.

Gameplay

Comparison of the jump physics in both games.

The gameplay is largely similar to its base game, except that the playable characters retain Luigi's higher jump and lower traction from Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. The game has been designed to be more difficult, with each stage starting at only 100 seconds; due to this, however, the courses have also been made shorter than normal while also being packed with enemies and obstacles. While the levels have all been altered from the base game, the world map itself has not been. Elements like items, power-ups, Star Coins, Toad Houses, Enemy Courses, and bosses are retained as such.

The multiplayer of New Super Luigi U is also retained from New Super Mario Bros. U. However, because Mario is not featured in this game, Nabbit is instead used as the fourth playable character. As Nabbit, the player cannot take damage from enemies, but cannot use items; however any items collected are converted to 1-Ups at the end of each stage.

Players can earn power-ups from Toad depending on the time left upon completion of the level. At 088, a Super Star is given; at 077, a Super Acorn; at 066, a Mini Mushroom; 055, an Ice Flower; 044, a Fire Flower; and 033, 022, and 011 a 1-Up Mushroom.

Controls

Stages

Action(s)	Wii U GamePad	Wii U Pro Controller	Wii Remote
Move, swim (Baby Yoshi)	/
Jump, swim, glide (hold), wall jump, Flutter Jump (Yoshi; hold), double/triple jump (press right upon landing)	Option 1: / Option 2: /
Run, carry objects (hold); shoot fireballs/iceballs, extend tongue (Yoshi)	Option 1: / Option 2: /
Ground Pound (normal, simultaneous*)	Jump + (down) /		+
Crouch, slide (on slopes)	(down) /
Climb (on fences, ladders, poles)	(up) /
Bubble*	N/A
Enter door/Warp Pipe	Door: (up) / Pipe: / (in direction of entrance)		Door: Pipe: (in direction of entrance)
Spin Jump, Baby Yoshi abilities, dismount Yoshi, Flying Squirrel jump, spin underwater (Baby Yoshi)	(shake) / / / /	/ / /	(shake)
Grab other players*/frozen enemies	Run + (shake) / / / / (release run button to throw)	Run + / / / (release run button to throw)	+ (shake) (release to throw)
Tilt Tilt Lifts	Tilt GamePad	Alternate between pressing and	Tilt Wii Remote
Pause
Boost Mode*		N/A

* Multiplayer only.

Map/menus

Action(s)	Wii U GamePad/Pro Controller	Wii Remote
Move, select option	/
Open inventory
View map
Pause
Zoom in/out (map view)	/
Confirm, hide/show Miiverse posts (map view)
Back

Changes

A Luigi Block

The game features changed design and assets

The world map itself is unchanged from New Super Mario Bros. U, but the levels have received a drastic makeover. As mentioned above, playable characters and their abilities have changed. The timer for each level is also set to start from 100 seconds and a 100-seconds time bonus is added to the timer after going to the boss door in the towers and castles (150 seconds in All Aboard! and 250 seconds in The Final Battle). Items in Red Toad Houses may vary as well. For example, a 1-Up Mushroom is in place of a Super Mushroom. Similarly, Enemy Courses contain only Mini Mushrooms and Propeller Mushrooms, as opposed to only Super Stars. There are no Checkpoint Flags in any of this game's levels. Many elements of the game are colored green to emphasize Luigi, and all of the levels have a hidden Luigi in a wall or platform (Flying Squirrel Ovation has two).

A Mii being used in Flying Squirrel Ovation

After the game is completed, a Luigi Block appears at the beginning of each level. This allows the player to switch to the original game's physics, with lower jumps and better traction. Nabbit is not affected by the block. Nabbit is also playable in single player mode if the player holds down / on the / or on the while selecting a level. If the same trick is done on the Flying Squirrel Ovation level in Superstar Road, the player's Mii is played as instead of Nabbit.

Worlds

Click an area to open the relevant article.

There are 82 new courses replacing the original courses from New Super Mario Bros. U with different level names, while the world names are retained.

Worlds
World 1: Acorn Plains		World 2: Layer-Cake Desert		World 3: Sparkling Waters		World 4: Frosted Glacier
A grassy world with plenty of shrubs, slanted mountains, and the Acorn Tree. This world is similar to many other first worlds in the Super Mario series.		A desert world with various desserts, such as melting ice creams, giant cakes, and a sea of sand with Moai-like statues called Stone-Eyes.		A tropical world with multiple islands and bubbling water geysers, similar to World 4 from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. This world can be entirely skipped for Frosted Glacier.		A snowy world that takes place at night filled with stars and constellations. This world can be entirely skipped for Sparkling Waters.
#	Level	#	Level	#	Level	#	Level
1	Waddlewing Warning!	1	Spike's Tumbling Desert	1	Huckit Beach Resort	1	Broozers and Barrels
2	Crooked Cavern	2	Underground Grrrols	2	Urchin Reef Romp	2	Cooligan Shrooms
	Flame-Gear Tower	3	Piranhas in the Dark		Shish-Kebab Tower		Icicle Tower
3	Rolling Yoshi Hills		Wind-Up Tower		Haunted Cargo Hold	3	Fire and Ice
4	Piranha Heights	4	The Walls Have Eyes	3	Waterspout Sprint	4	Weighty Waddlewings
5	Piranha Gardens	5	Stone Spike Conveyors	4	The Great Geysers	5	Ice-Slide Expressway
	Lemmy's Lights-Out Castle	6	Spinning Sandstones	5	Dragoneel Depths		Peek-a-Boo Ghost House
	Cheep Chomp Chase		Morton's Lava-Block Castle		Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle		Wendy's Thwomp Castle
			Slippery Rope Ladders		Beanstalk Jungle		Fliprus Floes
World 5: Soda Jungle		World 6: Rock-Candy Mines		World 7: Meringue Clouds		World 8: Peach's Castle
A rainforest flooded by purple poison, based on the Forest of Illusion from Super Mario World and World 4 from New Super Mario Bros.		A mountainous world with tall, pillar-like mountains, similar to Chocolate Island from Super Mario World or World 6 from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Several red and blue switches similar to ! Switches appear in this world, and pressing them activates Stretch Blocks with their corresponding color.		A sky world resembling the foreground of levels in World 7 from New Super Mario Bros. Two levels take place at sunset, and this world's Castle takes place near the tornado surrounding the next world, as marked by different cloud coloration.		A grassland area, similar to World 1 from the previous New Super Mario Bros. games, containing mushroom hills and the castle of the princess. It has been taken over by the Koopa Troop and is slowly transformed into Bowser's image until eventually being surrounded by a tornado. By the time the player reaches the castle grounds, it has been transformed into a lava-based area. Princess Peach's castle remains mostly unchanged on the outside but on the inside it is similar to Bowser's Castle from the previous installments. This world must be completed to beat the game.
#	Level	#	Level	#	Level	#	Level
	All Aboard!	1	Mount Fuzzy	1	Frozen Fuzzies	1	Magma Moat
1	Giant Swing-Along	2	Porcupuffer Cavern	2	Wiggler Rodeo	2	Magmaw River Cruise
2	Dancing Blocks, Poison Swamp		Smashing-Stone Tower	3	Rainbow Skywalk	3	Hot Cogs
3	Heart of Bramball Woods	3	Spike's Seesaws		Stonecrush Tower	4	Firefall Rising
	Stone-Snake Tower	4	Light-Up-Lift Tower		Vanishing Ghost House		Current Event
	Boo's Favorite Haunt	5	Rising Piranhas	4	Above the Bouncy Clouds	2	The Final Battle
4	Painted Pipeworks	6	Spine Coaster Stowaways	5	Flame Chomp Ferris Wheel
5	Deepsea Stone-Eyes		Sumo Bro's Spinning Tower	6	Three-Headed Snake Block
6	Sumo Bro Bridge	7	Switch-Lift Express		Ludwig's Block-Press Castle
7	Wiggler Floodlands		Roy's Ironclad Castle		Bowser Jr. Showdown
	Iggy's Swinging-Chains Castle
	Para-Beetle Parade
World 9: Superstar Road				Secret Island
A secret world unlocked after beating Bowser's final battle. Its levels must be unlocked with the Star Coins collected from all the levels of the previous worlds.				A small area between Acorn Plains and Sparkling Waters that houses a Purple Toad House. It must be unlocked as the same way as Superstar Road.
#		Level
1		Spine Coaster Connections
2		P Switch Peril
3		Star Coin Deep Dive
4		Hammerswing Hangout
5		Under Construction
6		Fire Bar Sprint
7		Cloudy Capers
8		Impossible Pendulums
9		Flying Squirrel Ovation

Characters

Playable characters

Name	Description
Luigi	The game's protagonist. Luigi is flung from Peach's Castle by Bowser when sieges the castle. Unlike New Super Mario Bros. U, Luigi scuttles his legs when he jumps and has poor traction on the ground, similar to his appearance in some prior games. Unlike the prior game, his brother is not in this game.
Yellow Toad and Blue Toad	These Toads were having tea at Peach's Castle with Luigi when they were tossed. They have all the same moves and physiques as Luigi, and are only available to play as in multiplayer.
Nabbit	A masked rabbit-like thief. When the player is controlling Luigi in Story Mode, Nabbit appears in certain levels with stolen items and they are given to him when caught. If the player presses on a Wii U controller or on a Wii Remote while selecting a level, they play as Nabbit instead. In multiplayer, he is one of the four playable characters. Unlike Luigi and the Toads, he cannot use power-ups, ride Yoshi, or carry items. However, Nabbit is nearly invincible. He can walk through enemies and across spikes, though he receives knockback when he makes contact with tough enemies or bosses. He loses a life only when he falls down pits or environmental hazards like lava.
Mii	If the player attempts to play as Nabbit in Story Mode while selecting Flying Squirrel Ovation, they appear as a green-clad Mii instead. This is likely because the Flying Squirrel form is required to complete this level, which is unavailable to Nabbit.

Yoshis

The game features three differently-colored Baby Yoshis, each one with a special ability. They differ from the adult Yoshi in terms of gameplay. Being babies, they cannot be ridden, so characters must carry them throughout the levels. Baby Yoshis instantly eat almost any enemy that is in front of them. Unlike Super Mario World, Baby Yoshis cannot mature into adults after eating enemies, instead remaining infants. Two types of Baby Yoshis found on the world map can be taken into any course, with the exception of towers, airships, and castles.

Name	Description	Locations
Yoshi	A dinosaur-like creature with a long tongue that can be ridden. Yoshi has a meter that tracks how many fruits he eats. Eating five makes him lay an egg containing an item. Unlike Baby Balloon Yoshis and Baby Bubble Yoshis, Yoshi cannot be taken to other levels, instead waving goodbye to the player character once they reach the Goal Pole. In multiplayer, the number of Yoshis that appear in a level equals the number of player characters.	Rolling Yoshi Hills, Underground Grrrols, Beanstalk Jungle, Fire and Ice, Above the Bouncy Clouds
Balloon Baby Yoshis	Magenta Baby Yoshis that expand like balloons and gently float in the air. Up to four player characters can grab onto one Balloon Baby Yoshi, by grabbing their legs. This slows the player down though.	Acorn Plains, Sparkling Waters
Bubble Baby Yoshis	Blue Baby Yoshis that blow bubbles from their mouths. Enemies caught in these bubbles will turn into three coins, a power-up, or a 1-Up Mushroom. These bubbles can also be used as small platforms.	Frosted Glacier, Rock-Candy Mines
Glowing Baby Yoshis	Yellow Baby Yoshis that light up dark areas and can stun enemies with their light attack. Unlike the other two Baby Yoshis, Glowing Baby Yoshis are not found on the world map and are found only in levels. Instead of following the characters throughout the courses, they give an extra life when reach the end of the level that they appear in.	Piranhas in the Dark

Non-playable characters

Name	Description	Locations
Princess Peach	The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. Her castle is sieged by Bowser while she is having tea with Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad. The game follows their quest to return to Peach's Castle to save her.	The Final Battle
Toads	Toads appear throughout the game in Toad Houses, at the end of the level when the player catches Nabbit, and past the end-of-level castles to give Luigi a power-up if they complete a stage with the last two digits of the Time Limit being the same.	Toad Houses, All levels

Enemies and obstacles

Enemies

Name	Description	Levels		Pts.	Exc.	New
		First	Last
Waddlewing	Orange flying-squirrel enemies that glide through stages.	Waddlewing Warning!	Flying Squirrel Ovation	200	—	—
Piranha Plant	Plants that move in and out of Warp Pipes and some grounded.	Waddlewing Warning!	Above the Bouncy Clouds	200	—	—
Piranha Pod	A projectile thrown by a Lakitu that turns into a Piranha Plant.	Spinning Sandstones	Beanstalk Jungle	200	—	—
Big Piranha Plant	Large variants of Piranha Plants.	Piranha Heights	Flame Chomp Ferris Wheel	200	—	—
Fire Piranha Plant	Piranha Plants that aim at Luigi and shoot fireballs.	Slippery Rope Ladders	Spine Coaster Stowaways	200	—	—
Big Fire Piranha	Large variants of Piranha Plants.	Piranhas in the Dark	Rising Piranhas	200		—
Ice Piranha Plant	A Piranha Plant that can shoot ice balls from its mouth, like Fire Piranha Plants.	Broozers and Barrels		200	—	—
Stalking Piranha Plant	A Piranha Plant that walks around and stretches up and down on a regular basis.	Spinning Sandstones	Rising Piranhas	200	—	—
River Piranha Plant	A stationary Piranha Plant that blows a green spiked ball up and down, similar to a Ptooie.	Spinning Sandstones	Fliprus Floes	200	—	—
Muncher	An invincible black plant.	Lemmy's Lights-Out Castle	Wiggler Rodeo		—	—
Koopa Troopa (Red)	Turtle enemies that go into their shells when attacked, then can be picked up or thrown. Red Koopa Troopas turn around.	Crooked Cavern	Magma Moat	200	—	—
Koopa Troopa (Green)	Green Koopa Troopas walk off ledges.	Piranha Gardens	Magmaw River Cruise	200	—	—
Koopa Paratroopa (Red)	Wing Koopa Troopas that fly back and forth in the air.	Dancing Blocks, Poison Swamp		200	—	—
Koopa Paratroopa (Green)	These Koopa Paratroopas appear only the battle with the Magikoopa in magical platforms. They hop along the ground in small arcs when freed.	Stonecrush Tower		200	—	—
Big Koopa Troopa	Large variants of Koopa Troopas.	Giant Swing-Along		200	—	—
Dry Bones	Skeleton Koopa Troopas that collapse when attacked, but later rebuild themselves.	Flame-Gear Tower	Stonecrush Tower	200	—	—
Big Dry Bones	Large variants of Dry Bones that appear in castle levels.	Iggy's Swinging-Chains Castle		200	—	—
Hammer Bro	Enemies that throw hammers and jump.	Piranha Gardens	All Aboard!	1000	—	—
Fire Bro	Hammer Bros. that throw fireballs.	Piranhas in the Dark	Magmaw River Cruise	1000	—	—
Boomerang Bro	Hammer Bros. that use boomerangs, which return to them after being thrown.	All Aboard!	Above the Bouncy Clouds	1000	—	—
Ice Bro	An enemy that throws ice balls at the ground, which can freeze the player and even other enemies.	All Aboard!	Frozen Fuzzies	1000	—	—
Sledge Bro	Hammer Bro variants that stun Luigi after they jump.	All Aboard!		1000	—	—
Sumo Bro	Giant Koopas that stomp the ground and create electric waves in two directions.	Sumo Bro Bridge	Sumo Bro's Spinning Tower	200	—	—
Lakitu	Enemies that throw Spiny Eggs. If Luigi defeats a Lakitu, he can ride on its cloud until it disappears.	Spinning Sandstones	Cloudy Capers	1000	—	—
Spiny	Enemies that hatch from Spiny Eggs and cannot be jumped on.	Cloudy Capers		200	—	—
Spiny Egg	The furled form of Spinies dropped by Lakitus. Direct contact damages the player character. Spiny Eggs turn into Spinies when they make contact with the ground.	Cloudy Capers		200	—	—
Bony Beetle	Skeleton variants of Buzzy Beetles that walk around and suddenly stop to stick out their spikes.	Icicle Tower	Impossible Pendulums	200	—	—
Buzzy Beetle	Shelled enemies that can be kicked or thrown after being jumped on, and can walk on ceilings.	Ice-Slide Expressway		200	—	—
Spike Top	Buzzy Beetle variants that have spikes on their shells, preventing them from being jumped on.	Switch-Lift Express		200	—	—
Para-Beetle	Para-Beetles are winged Buzzy Beetles. However, Luigi can hop on their back for a ride, unlike with other winged foes.	Para-Beetle Parade			—	—
Heavy Para-Beetle	A Para-Beetle that descends when used as a platform.	Para-Beetle Parade			—	—
Spike	Green turtles which pull spiked balls out of their mouths and throw them directly downwards from the ledges on which they stand	Spike's Tumbling Desert	Spike's Seesaws	200	—	—
Stone Spike	A Spike that throws stone rocks downwards.	Stone Spike Conveyors		200	—	—
Cheep Cheep	Fish that are found swimming aimlessly in underwater levels.	Cheep Chomp Chase	Star Coin Deep Dive	200	—	—
Big Cheep Cheep	Large variants of Cheep Cheeps that are found in underwater levels.	Cheep Chomp Chase	Star Coin Deep Dive	200	—	—
Eep Cheep	A Cheep Cheep that lives in a school with other Eep Cheeps and swims away when the player comes near it.	Cheep Chomp Chase		200	—	—
Big Eep Cheep	Large variants of Cheep Cheeps that are found in underwater levels.	Cheep Chomp Chase	Urchin Reef Romp	200
Deep Cheep	Large variants of Cheep Cheeps that are found in underwater levels.	Cheep Chomp Chase		200		—
Big Deep Cheep	Large variants of Cheep Cheeps that are found in underwater levels.	Cheep Chomp Chase		200		—
Spiny Cheep Cheep	Fast-swimming fish that chase Luigi.	Haunted Cargo Hold	Star Coin Deep Dive	200	—	—
Cheep Chomp	Large fish that attempt to eat Luigi.	Cheep Chomp Chase	Star Coin Deep Dive	200	—	—
Porcupuffer	Fish that jump out of the water and follow Luigi.	Porcupuffer Cavern		200	—	—
Fish Bone	Skeletal fish that charge towards Luigi.	Haunted Cargo Hold	Deepsea Stone-Eyes	200	—	—
Monty Mole	A mole that pops out of mountains and the ground and gives chase.	Rolling Yoshi Hills	Stonecrush Tower	200	—	—
Pokey	Living cacti that appear in desert levels and move slowly.	Underground Grrrols		200	—	—
Big Pokey	Large variants of Pokeys.	Morton's Lava-Block Castle		None	—	—
Grrrol	Round, Thwomp-like enemies that roll on the ground.	Underground Grrrols	Smashing-Stone Tower	200	—	—
Mega Grrrol	A bigger Grrrol with the same behavior.	Underground Grrrols	Smashing-Stone Tower	200	—	—
Goomba	Common enemies that can be defeated by jumping on them.	Layer-Cake Desert Enemy Course	Magmaw River Cruise	200	—	—
Hefty Goomba	A Goomba that is large than a normal Goomba. Jumping on it can turn into two normal Goombas.	Layer-Cake Desert Enemy Course		200	–	–
Mini Goomba	Small Goombas that weigh Luigi down until he either attacks or walks for a few seconds.	Stonecrush Tower	Magmaw River Cruise	200	—	—
Prickly Goomba	A Goomba that hides inside a spiked chestnut shell until it is hit with a fireball, which is when it turns into a regular Goomba.	Fire and Ice		200	—	—
Goombrat	A Goomba that resembles a persimmon and turns at ledges.	Wiggler Rodeo	Hot Cogs	200	—	—
Huckit Crab	A crab that throws rocks on loop. These can be jumped on and used as a temporary platform.	Huckit Beach Resort	Porcupuffer Cavern	200	—	—
Urchin	Stationary enemies that appear in underwater levels.	Urchin Reef Romp		200	—	—
Big Urchin	A gigantic Urchin that can be defeated only with a Star.	Urchin Reef Romp		200	—	—
Boo	Ghosts that follow Luigi when his back is turned, but hide their face when he looks at them. Groups of Boos occur floating in circles in some levels.	Peek-a-Boo Ghost House	Vanishing Ghost House	200	—	—
Big Boo	Bigger variants of Boos that have the same behavior.	Peek-a-Boo Ghost House		200	—	—
Dragoneel	A long eel that attacks Luigi by chasing him. Dragoneels defeat Urchins that make contact with their bodies.	Dragoneel Depths		200	—	—
Bullet Bill	Bullets that fly straight forward and are shot from Bill Blasters and Bill Blaster Turrets.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle	Rainbow Skywalk	200	—	—
Missile Bill	Bullet Bills that target Luigi.	Roy's Ironclad Castle		200	—	—
Banzai Bill	Large Bullet Bills that fly straight forward.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle	Para-Beetle Parade	200	—	—
King Bill	A nearly invincible enemy that charges forward, taking up most of the screen.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle	Para-Beetle Parade	200	—	—
Torpedo Ted	A slow-moving torpedo that flies in one direction.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle	All Aboard!	200	—	—
Targeting Ted	Red Torpedo Teds that home into their target, much like Bull's-Eye Bills.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle	All Aboard!	200	—	—
Broozer	A walking, boxing ghost. Broozers spin Star Lifts and launch barrels with their punches. Luigi can defeat it by jumping on it three times, or hitting him with a fireball.	Broozers and Barrels		200	—	—
Cooligan	An enemy that slides on ice and slows down when hit.	Cooligan Shrooms		200	—	—
Fliprus	A walrus-like creature that throws snowballs that can be jumped on.	Fliprus Floes	Hammerswing Hangout	200	—	—
Thwomp	Large rocks that fall when Luigi gets close.	Wendy's Thwomp Castle		200	—	—
Big Thwomp	Large Thwomps that can break through stone tiles.	Wendy's Thwomp Castle		200	—	—
Mechakoopa	A mechanical Koopa. After stomping it, Luigi can pick it up and use it as a weapon.	All Aboard!		200	—	—
Bramball	An enemy that moves around in a set pattern and is mostly covered in spikes, with the head being the only safe part to jump on. It can be forced to move if jumped into from below.	Heart of Bramball Woods		200	—	—
Big Wiggler	Large variants of Wigglers.	Wiggler Floodlands			—	—
Wiggler	Caterpillars that move faster after being jumped on.	Wiggler Rodeo		200	—	—
Magmaargh	Lava monsters that attacks by moving towards the players in a wave-like movement.	Iggy's Swinging-Chains Castle			—	—
Magmaw	Lava monsters that lunges at the player and dips back into the lava.	Magmaw River Cruise	The Final Battle		—	—
Fuzzy	Enemies that follow tracks and hurt Luigi upon contact.	Mount Fuzzy	Cloudy Capers	200	—	—
Big Fuzzy	Large variants of Fuzzies.	Frozen Fuzzies	Spine Coaster Connections	200	—	—
Fire Snake	Flames that jump in a high arc.	Light-Up-Lift Tower		200	—	—
Lava Bubble	Fireballs that jump out of lava.	Roy's Ironclad Castle	Hot Cogs	200	—	—
Chain Chomp	Enemies tied to posts that lunge at Luigi. If Luigi ground pounds their post, they are set free.	Wiggler Rodeo		200	—	—
Flame Chomp	Black spheres that spit fireballs at Luigi. They explode after they're out of fireballs.	Flame Chomp Ferris Wheel		200	—	—
Foo	An enemy that creates fog in order to obscure the player's view.	Three-Headed Snake Block		200	—	—
Bob-omb	Bombs that ignite if they are jumped on or have a fireball thrown at them, then explode shortly after.	Bowser Jr. Showdown	The Final Battle	200	—	—
Parabomb	Parachuting Bob-ombs that are sometimes shot out of cannons.	Bowser Jr. Showdown	Current Event	200	—	—
Blooper	Underwater enemies that move in an erratic pattern and follow Luigi.	Star Coin Deep Dive		200	—	—

Obstacles

Name	Description	Levels
		First	Last
Ash	Ash enshrouds the left of the screen in Magma-River Cruise. Contact makes the player character lose a life.	Magmaw River Cruise
Banzai Bill Cannon	Bill Blasters that shoot Banzai Bills.	Weighty Waddlewings
Bill Blaster	Cannons that shoot Bullet Bills.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle	Rainbow Skywalk
Bill Blaster Turret	Stacks of Bill Blasters that rotate and shoot Bullet Bills.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle
Bob-omb Cannon	Mortars that fire Bob-ombs.	Bowser Jr. Showdown
Bowser Stunner	An electric statue that resembles Bowser's head and carries electrical currents.	Current Event
Bowser's Flame	Fireballs spewed by Bowser. The appear traveling on-screen in the narrow hallway leading to the Koopa King, before he is within frame.	The Final Battle
Bowser's Flame (big)	Balls of fire that fall slowly and break upon hitting either the ground or a block. The player character can reduce their size if they toss ice balls at them.	Magma Moat	The Final Battle
Burner	Constant streams of fire that are fastened to cogs.	Flame-Gear Tower
Current	Downward currents that pull the player character into an abyss, costing them a life.	Cheep Chomp Chase	Urchin Reef Romp
Fire Bar	A series of fireballs that rotate infinitely, either clockwise or counterclockwise.	Sumo Bro's Spinning Tower	Ludwig's Block-Press Castle
Ghost Block	A ? Block that floats and charges at the player character, breaking if it hits a floor or a platform.	Vanishing Ghost House
Giant cannon	Horizontal, pipe-sized cannons shoot giant cannonballs.	Bowser Jr. Showdown
Huge Fire Bar	A larger version of the Fire Bar.	Fire Bar Sprint
Icicle	Icicles that fall when the player character gets close underneath.	Icicle Tower	Wendy's Thwomp Castle
Lava	Pools of molten rock that cause the player character to instantly lose a life upon contact. In Rising Tides of Lava, the lava rises and falls like the tide.	Morton's Lava-Block Castle	The Final Battle
Lava swell	Lava that moves up in waves.	Iggy's Swinging-Chains Castle
Mecha Hand	A large mechanical hand modeled after Bowser's own hand that attempts to crush the player characters while they are on board. Bowser Jr. also uses the Mecha Hand in The Mighty Cannonship after the player character defeats him here.	Bowser Jr. Showdown
Moving rock	Stones that move in set patterns and come in various sizes. They can either help or hinder the player character.	Morton's Lava-Block Castle
Moving torch	Cannon-like Burners that pivot back and forth.	Flame-Gear Tower
Poison Bog	A liquid hazard that causes the player character to instantly lose a life.	Giant Swing-Along	Under Construction
Quicksand	Sand that sinks the player character.	Spike's Tumbling Desert	Spinning Sandstones
Skewer	Spiked columns that extend out of walls and retract at regular intervals. Both vertical and horizontal Skewers appear.	Shish-Kebab Tower
Spikes	Beds of spikes appear in two Special Challenges. Touching them knocks out the player character.	Icicle Tower
Spinner	A large, undefeatable spiked ball on a chain. Some of the ones in Impossible Pendulums are large.	Stone-Snake Tower	Impossible Pendulums
Torpedo Base	Red torpedo tubes that fire Targeting Teds.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle

Bosses

Name	Description	Levels
		First	Last
Tower bosses
Boom Boom	The tower boss from Acorn Plains to Rock-Candy Mines. He does not change in the first battle, especially in Acorn Plains. However, following his first defeat, the |Magikoopa gives him special abilities. In Layer-Cake Desert, the Magikoopa will grant him the ability to spin jump. In Sparkling Waters and Frosted Glacier, the Magikoopa grants him the ability to jump, similar to Super Mario Bros. 3. In Soda Jungle, the Magikoopa will make him larger. In Rock-Candy Mines, the Magikoopa transforms his arms into wings, similar to Super Mario Bros. 3.	Flame-Gear Tower	Smashing-Stone Tower
Boss Sumo Bro	Boss Sumo Bro was a regular Sumo Bro until the Magikoopa made him grow in size. He is normally immune to attacks from the top due to the spike on his head, but he will jump between platforms which the player can hit from the bottom. Knocking him off a platform makes him vulnerable to jump attacks.	Sumo Bro's Spinning Tower
Magikoopa	The Magikoopa teleports most of the time when Luigi gets too close. However, when he stops to attack Luigi, he is left vulnerable to stomps. He also casts spells on Boom Boom, Boss Sumo Bro, and Bowser granting them extra power before their battles, such as causing them to grow in size.	Stonecrush Tower
The Koopalings
Lemmy	Lemmy Koopa is fought in Acorn Plains and attempts to throw bombs at Luigi.	Lemmy's Lights-Out Castle
Morton	Morton Koopa Jr. is fought in Layer-Cake Desert and uses a large hammer that is apparently filled with magic to knock Big Pokey segments in the player's way after shaking the ground by stomping on it. He can knock Pokey segments straight at the player or knock them in high arcs.	Morton's Lava-Block Castle
Larry	Larry Koopa is fought on in Sparkling Waters and blasts spells and use water blasts from the pool below the arena. When Larry is spinning in his shell, the water geysers give his shell a boost upwards, making it a bit tricky to avoid. After two stomps, Larry begins to cast two spells in quick succession.	Larry's Trigger-Happy Castle
Wendy	Wendy O. Koopa is fought in Frosted Glacier and skates around the arena, shooting out two energy rings that ricochet off of walls and can knock down the Icicles on the ceiling of the airship. She also spin jumps from walls. After she is jumped on twice, she will shoot out three rings instead.	Wendy's Thwomp Castle
Iggy	Iggy Koopa is fought in Soda Jungle and uses the four Warp Pipes to run around the room and on the ceiling to make it trickier for the player to stomp on him as he uses his Magic Wand to shoot three spells, with some being his usual green flame, and the other being red skeleton orbs that generate Magmaarghs when they land in the lava below. When Iggy is stomped on, he will dash around the room in his shell using the pipes on the walls, which will switch him to the other side of the room. Unlike the other Koopalings where they spin in their shells and change directions at the edges or walls of the room, Iggy can actually change directions anywhere around the room during his duration in his shell.	Iggy's Swinging-Chains Castle
Roy	Roy Koopa is fought in Rock-Candy Mines and shoots Bullet Bills with his cannon and jump between platforms that move around during the fight. Occasionally, he shoots Missile Bills. He can also jump high in the air and ground pound the floor or platform, which makes him fire Bullet Bills on both sides of his blaster. The ground pound can also make the floating platforms appear after he comes out of his shell.	Roy's Ironclad Castle
Ludwig	Ludwig von Koopa is fought in Meringue Clouds and levitates in the air while making two clones of himself, and all three Ludwigs will blast spells at Luigi before dropping onto the ground. If one of the clones is jumped on, it will simply disappear. There are four ways to find out which is the real one. The one that is the real one fires three spells, while the clones fire two. The clones keep their eyes half-open, and tend to assume the real Ludwig's pre-battle idle pose while not levitating. The real Ludwig will also drop to the ground last, after the clones, as well as laugh while dropping. Finally, Luigi always looks at the real Ludwig if he can see him directly, just as he does with the other bosses. When the fight starts off, after shooting their spells, the clones disappear before landing. After the first stomp, the clones do not disappear. After the second stomp, not only do all three Ludwigs shoot faster, but swap positions, though the real Ludwig still shoots three spells.	Ludwig's Block-Press Castle
Other bosses
Bowser Jr.	Bowser Jr. is fought on airships. In Soda Jungle, Bowser Jr. uses his Junior Clown Car as a submarine, in which the player character must guide the Targeting Teds that Bowser Jr. shoots into his submarine. With every hit, he summons three Torpedo Teds from the left and right or from the ceiling and the floor. In Meringue Clouds, Bowser Jr.'s boss battle involves him in his Clown Car equipped with boxing gloves, which he uses to destroy the blocks the player is standing on. Bowser Jr. periodically throws Bob-ombs, which the player can use against him. However, in Peach's Castle, he cannot be defeated.	All Aboard!	The Final Battle
Bowser	Bowser is fought inside |Peach's Castle. The first part of his battle is similar to Super Mario Bros., where the player has to get to the other side and press the switch; alternatively, shooting several spellsalso works. This causes the axe to fall and make the bridge collapse, making Bowser fall. The gate then opens and Luigi moves on. When Luigi reaches the top of the castle, Peach is being held up in the tower. After this, Bowser Jr. shows up in his Junior Clown Car, and Bowser hops on top of the castle while he is huge. Bowser Jr. also fights the player. In order to defeat them, the player must jump on Bowser Jr., causing him to fall out of his Junior Clown Car. This allows the player to jump in and hover over Bowser to harm him. Like the Koopalings, he curls into his shell and spins around when hit. He is defeated after being hit three times by the Clown Car.	The Final Battle

Items and objects

Items

These are collectibles, pickups, and health-restoring objects.

Name	Description
Coins	Collecting 100 of these gives the player an extra life.
Hidden Coins	An outline of a coin that becomes a coin if Luigi goes through it.
Red Coins	Collecting all eight Red Coins that appear after passing through a Red Ring gives a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or 1-Up Mushroom, depending on what power-up the player is currently using.
Blue Coins	These coins are just like normal coins, but they appear by hitting a P Switch.
Green Coins	Collecting all five groups of Green Coins that appear after passing through a Green Ring gives a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or 1-Up Mushroom, depending on what power-up the player is currently using.
Star Coins	Three of these are located in every course in hard-to-reach or hidden areas.
1-Up Mushrooms	Gives the player an extra life.
3-Up Moons	Gives the player three extra lives. Only appears in Boost Mode.
Koopa Shells	Koopa Troopas temporarily retreat into their shells when stomped, which can then be kicked, picked up, or thrown. They bounce off of opposing walls and can damage the player character character on the rebound, but they can be stopped with a well-timed jump or fireballs. The giant shells of Big Koopa Troopas can also be sent sliding by jumping on them, but are too large to hold.
Buzzy Shells	These work like Koopa Shells, but they are impervious to fire. Fireballs cannot stop them.
Barrels	An item that the player can pick up and throw at enemies to defeat them and at coins to collect them. Broozers can also throw them. Another player who touches a barrel while it rolls will take damage.
POW Blocks	A block that causes a large tremor on the ground when thrown.
Ice blocks	A block that is created by an enemy that was frozen with an ice ball. This block can be picked up and thrown like a barrel.
Trampolines	A spring that lets the player jump high into the air. It can be picked up and carried around.
Yoshi's Eggs	An egg that Yoshi comes out of or produces after eating five fruits, which contain power-ups. They come in two different colors: green releases the adult Yoshi.
Glowing Baby Yoshi's Eggs	This yellow eggs releases a Glowing Baby Yoshi.
Fruits	A fruit that Yoshi eats. When Yoshi eats five fruits, he makes an egg that contains an item.
Boost Stars	A star that appears during Boost Mode.

Power-ups

Power-up	Form		Description
N/A	Small Luigi	Small Yellow Toad	The player character's weakest form. They start each life in their Small form. If they are touched by an enemy or obstacle, they lose one life.
		Small Blue Toad
Super Mushroom	Super Luigi	Super Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Super Luigi.
		Super Blue Toad
Super Acorn	Flying Squirrel Luigi	Flying Squirrel Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Flying Squirrel Luigi.
		Flying Squirrel Blue Toad
Fire Flower	Fire Luigi	Fire Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Fire Luigi.
		Fire Blue Toad
Ice Flower	Ice Luigi	Ice Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Ice Luigi. Luigi can shoot ice balls to freeze most enemies.
		Ice Blue Toad
Mini Mushroom	Mini Luigi	Mini Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Mini Luigi.
		Mini Blue Toad
Propeller Mushroom	Propeller Luigi	Propeller Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Propeller Luigi and gives him some short flight.
		Propeller Blue Toad
Penguin Suit	Penguin Luigi	Penguin Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Penguin Luigi. He can shoot ice balls and slide on his belly, along with having an improved swimming ability.
		Penguin Blue Toad
Super Star	Invincible Luigi	Invincible Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Invincible Luigi.
		Invincible Blue Toad
P-Acorn	Power Squirrel Luigi	Power Squirrel Yellow Toad	Turns Luigi into Power Squirrel Luigi.
		Power Squirrel Blue Toad

Objects

Objects are interactable elements of the environment that cannot be picked up or collected by Luigi. For objects that primarily function as obstructions or hazards, see above.

Name	Description
Blocks and containers
? Block	Contains a coin or item when hit. Some ? Block are 10-Coin Blocks that release up to ten coins when struck in rapid succession. Other are invisible and also become visible when struck. Emptying any ? Block turns it into an Empty Block that can be stood on like a platform.
3-Up Moon Block	A very rare block that contains a 3-Up Moon.
Big Block	A large Brick Block that mostly have the same properties normal-sized Brick Block. However, some Big Blocks are Coin Blocks. When these ones are emptied, the Big Block falls apart and leaves five coins behind on the ground.
Boost Block	Blocks that appear when touching the screen on the Wii U GamePad.
Brick Block	Breaks or contains coins when hit. Like ? Blocks, there are Brick Blocks that are 10-Coin Blocks. The player character cannot break Brick Blocks in their Small or Mini forms.
Cracked block	These blocks make up the floor in the battle against Bowser Jr. A block will fall away if struck by Bowser Jr. twice, but reappear after a brief period of time.
Crate	A wooden box Luigi can break via a Ground Pound. Sometimes contains coins or power-ups.
Donut Block	A platform that falls under weight if Luigi stays there for too long. As Mini Luigi, he is too light to make it fall; as such, it becomes safer.
Flying ? Block	A type of ? Block that flies in a rhythmic pattern to the music of a stage. Once hit, it becomes an Empty Block.
Luigi Block	This red block appears at the beginning of levels after The Final Battle is completed. Striking it changes Luigi's physiques to those of the original New Super Mario Bros. U. It does not appear if the player is controlling Nabbit.
Magical platform (A)	These blocks appear during the battle with the Magikoopa. When his spells strike these blocks, they turn into Donut Blocks.
Magical platform (B)	Some of these airborne magical platforms contain enemies. The slam downward on the Magikoopa's command, damaging the player character if they are in their path. The platforms that contain enemies release them when they collide with the ground, freeing them onto the field.
Mega ? Block	Giant ? Blocks. It functions like the smaller ones and becomes a big Empty Block when emptied.
Note Block	A block that makes Luigi jump higher when he jumps or steps on it.
Roulette Block	A block with various items scrolling on it. Luigi can hit it and release the power-up shown.
Snake Block	Green blocks that move like a snake once Luigi steps on it.
Snake Block (big)	A large type of Snake Block.
Stone block	Block that can only be destroyed by Bob-omb explosions or large enemies like Grrrols or Big Thwomps.
Stretch Block	A block made up of five segments that stretches to act as a bridge in certain levels.
Treasure chest	Chests award the player character a Super Star that goes into their inventory. In Enemy Courses, Nabbit steals the Star if the character does not grab it in time.
Trigger objects
! Switch	Activating the switch enables the axe to destroy the bridge, causing Bowser to fall.
? Switch	Changes or adds things to an area, such as platforms, for a limited time.
Blue Ring	Makes Blue Coins appear and transforms all normal coins into Brick Blocks for a brief period of time.
Green Ring	Makes fifteen Green Coins appear. If the player collects all five groups of green coins before they disappear, they receive either a power-up, which varies in between levels, or a 1-Up Mushroom, depending on the player's current size.
P Switch	Not only turns bricks into coins or vice versa, but also reveals Blue Coins.
Red Ring	Makes eight Red Coins appear. If the player collects all eight coins before they disappear, they receive either a power-up, which varies in between levels, or a 1-Up Mushroom, depending on the player's current size.
Pipes
Giant pipe	Big Piranha Plants sit in giant pipes. None of these ones are Warp Pipes.
Jet Pipe	These underwater pipes expel strong currents that push the player character.
Pipe	Pipes going through the ground that transport the player to new areas.
Pipe Cannon	Pipes that launch players to another location or a platform that they are unable to reach.
Small pipe	Mini variants of warp pipes that can be accessed with a Mini Mushroom.
Climbable objects
Beanstalk	Used to reach Coin Heavens or other secret places. They emerge from Vine Blocks, which resemble Invisible Blocks or Brick Blocks.
Hanging chain	Chains that the player character can swing back and forth on like rope swings.
Hanging vine	Hanging vines found in Soda Jungle. They function like rope swings.
Pole	Striped poles that the player can climb up and slide down after jumping onto them.
Rope ladder	A climbable object used to get on top of platforms.
Platforms
Arrow lift	Lifts that appear turn from blue to red when activated, causing them will move in the opposite direction from where they are pointing while idle.
Bean Platform	Large beans serving as platforms that periodically coil and uncoil.
Bouncy Cloud	Cloud platforms that makes the player and enemies bounces very high.
Clockwork Block	A platform with gears that moves left and right.
Cloud Lift	Long platforms that move to the right when initially landed on.
Cog	Gear-like platforms that the player must go under to pass. If they remain under one, they will be squished and lose a life.
Conveyor Belt	Moving platforms that carry the player and, sometimes, Iron Blocks and enemies.
Flatbed Ferry	Lifts that travel along tracks. Some tracks are self-connected or lead to a rounded end that sends the Flatbed Ferry back the way it came. Others lack an obstruction at the end, causing the lift to fall.
Floating crate	These large wooden crates float in water and sink when stood on. The float back into place once jumped off of.
Floor	Platforms that the player can bump from below to stun enemies.
Ice platform	Columnar lifts made of ice. Some move back and forth.
Iron Block	An iron box that drops on Conveyor Belts. They are indestructible and causes the player to lose a life if crushed.
Leaf Platform	Leaves that serve as platforms appearing on giant beanstalks. When they first sprout, they appear to be green, only to turn red and brown then slowly float down after some time has passed.
Lift	Wooden platforms that are suspended above ground. Many of them move in set paths and are of varied lengths.
Light-Up-Lift	A block-like platform that shines light in dark areas.
Limited Lift	A lift that the player can travel with a limited capacity of at least five enemies. It stops once the counter reaches 0.
Limited Lift (Remote-Control)	Girder-like Limited Lifts that begin to rise once a player character is on top of it. The player can tilt the lift, but stops if the counter on it reaches 0.
Nut	A set of nuts that are screwed onto a very long bolt that serve as platforms. The player must continually jump to avoid falling.
Paddle Platform	A paddle wheel-like platforms made of 4 smaller platforms that moves in a wheel on tracks.
Palm tree	Trees of varying heights that serve as platforms.
Pendulum Platform	Chained platforms that sway from side to side indefinitely.
Rocking Platform	Wooden platforms in the air that tilt back and forth on their own.
Sand Geyser	Pillars of sand that rises up from pits at regular intervals, and can be used as platforms.
Scale Lift	Scale-like platforms that causes the one platform to rise if the player lands on the parallel one. It will fall off if they stand on it for too long.
Screwtop Lift	A lift with a Screwtop that the player can move in a set direction by spinning.
Screwtop Platform	A platform with a Screwtop that the player can move in a set direction by spinning.
Seesaw Log Bridge	Solid wooden platforms that teeter to one side when a player or element stands on the opposite side.
Seesaw Shroom	A mushroom platform that acts as a seesaw.
Spine Coaster	Rideable creatures made of bone used to aid Luigi and company to pass through pits and pits.
Star Lift	Star-shaped platforms that spin depending on which side of them is weighed down by the player.
Stone-Eye	Giant gray stone heads that either move in different patterns, or stay completely stationary. Stone-Eyes are sentient, indicated by their eyes that constantly stare at the player.
Swinging Hammer	Hammer-like platforms that swing back and forth in a 180° arc.
Switch-Lift	Metal lifts of varying shapes and sizes. The rapidly move when a nearby ? Switch is pressed.
Turning Floor	Continually moving objects that turn clockwise or counterclockwise, moving anything on them.
Water Geyser	Pillars of water that rise from below and serve as platforms.
Other objects
Boss cannon	Cannons found at the end of enemy castles. Boss cannons launch the player character to one of a nearby airship to battle one of the Koopalings.
Door	Doors bring the player character to another area. In Ghost Houses, doors are sometimes involved in puzzles. One-way boss doors occur at the end of every fortress that bring the player character to a boss battle.
False wall	Hidden alcoves found throughout many levels. False walls often conceal blocks, pipes, or Star Coins.
Flower	A common background object that releases a coin when spun next to.
Goal Pole	Flagpoles found at the end of every level. Touching one completes the level.
Goal Pole (secret)	Flagpoles with red flags, found at the end of some levels. Touching one completes the level and leads to secret exits.
Mist	Dense mist that obscures the player's view and conceals objects. They can temporarily be blown away through various means, such as Spin Jumping. Enemies sometimes are concealed in mist.
Trick door	Some of the doors found in Ghost Houses are illusions crafted by Boos. Attempting to open one makes it disappear and releases a coin.

Luigi sightings

A jumping Luigi silhouette can be seen on the third column in Rolling Yoshi Hills

Main article: List of Luigi sightings in New Super Luigi U

In every level within New Super Luigi U there is one Luigi image hidden somewhere within the level. There are a total of 83 Luigi sightings, a reference to Luigi's debut year. These images range from 8-bit Super Mario Bros.-esque to his various artworks throughout the series. The way these Luigis are placed in the level ranges from being in the open to being a background detail.

Staff

Main article: List of New Super Luigi U staff

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:New Super Luigi U.

• 

  Luigi and Yoshi

• 

  Blue Toad holding a Red Shell

• 

  Luigi, Yellow Toad, Blue Toad, and Nabbit

• 

  Artwork of Beanstalk Jungle

Development

During the development process of both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Mario Bros. 2, the developers began to think of ideas for downloadable content for the two games. Both teams thought of expanding the secondary modes, New Super Mario Bros. 2 being Coin Rush, and New Super Mario Bros. U expanding on Boost Rush; in the end it was decided that 2 would be the game to receive content first, since it was being released first. However, during the development of the Coin Rush courses the team decided to scrap the idea of additional Boost Rush course packs and began to think of other ideas. The team then began experimenting with the idea of shorter but more difficult courses to replace the ones in the original game.

Originally, the downloadable content was being made with Mario in mind. However, when the Year of Luigi came up during a meeting, it was decided that Luigi would be the focus instead. When it was decided to make Luigi the main character, the developers also decided that Mario would be kept out of the game. When deciding on a new fourth playable character, the original idea was to use three Toads, but when testing this it was deemed too confusing; the idea to use Nabbit as the fourth character then came up, reusing his ability to pass by enemies; around that time, the team had also been talking about adding something for beginners, and the idea to use Nabbit was kept.

Reception

New Super Luigi U was mostly received positively by critics. The game holds a 77 average on Metacritic based on 59 reviews, and a 75.92% on GameRankings based on 36 reviews. GameSpot's Peter Brown gave it an 8.5/10, stating, "Though the world map, themes, power-ups, and visual assets are 'old,' Luigi's physics and the level design at large rise to the top." Chris Carter of Destructoid gave the game an 8/10. He praises the game's design, stating that, "There are a lot of new concepts and designs this time around, and even if a large portion of them are re-used assets, they're remixed in a way that makes its own mark on the franchise." Vince Ingenito of IGN gave the downloadable content a 7.3/10, citing that, "Its smaller levels, restrictive time limit, and floaty physics work well as a challenge mode add-on to an already terrific game," but criticizing that it, "[it] still feels more like an addendum to NSMBU [...] rather than something that stands out on its own."

Conversely, Chris Shilling of Eurogamer gave the content a 6/10, criticizing that, "It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination: the level design is still a cut above so many of Nintendo's peers. But by the series' consistently high standards, it qualifies as a disappointment.". Edge also gave the game a 6, criticizing the game's stages by saying, "the quality of the level design is mixed: some stages feel claustrophobic yet others are surprisingly baggy, and few are considerate enough to accommodate four players." The writer goes on to say that, "At its best, New Super Luigi U is an exhilarating test of skill," but also criticizes the game by saying that, "on occasion it dangerously approximates a fan-made ROM hack," in the end saying that, "Some will undoubtedly find its challenge inviting, but others will rightly expect more ingenuity from Nintendo than this." GamesRadar writer Henry Gilbert, giving the game 3/5 stars, also says that, "If you’re ready for the heightened difficulty of solo play in New Super Luigi U, then you’ll find it rewarding. Otherwise, it’s a taxing platformer that’s only made more rage-inducing in multiplayer."

Reviews
Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Chris Carter, Destructoid	8/10	"If you loved New Super Mario Bros. U., getting Luigi U is a no-brainer, as it features a collection of superior levels and an interesting re-work of Luigi as a character. If you weren't crazy about the game however, you may want to wait a bit. For those of you who have some patience, the game is launching later on in July and August (EU and US respectively) as a full standalone retail disc for $10 more that will not require the core game."
Chris Schilling, Eurogamer	6/10	"What's most surprising about New Super Luigi U is that Nintendo has already proven it can transform a game through DLC. New Super Mario Bros. 2's downloadable challenge packs made a slightly lacklustre Mario game that much better, offering smart, creative twists on existing ideas. This, by comparison, just feels like an expansion pack, offering shorter, harder levels and nothing else. It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination: the level design is still a cut above so many of Nintendo's peers. But by the series' consistently high standards, it qualifies as a disappointment."
Vince Ingenito, IGN	7.3/10	"New Super Luigi U is the chance the taller brother has waited for since being relegated to “player 2” status so many years ago. Its smaller levels, restrictive time limit, and floaty physics work well as a challenge mode add-on to an already terrific game. But as fun as it often is, this still feels more like an addendum to NSMBU – a remix, rather than something new that stands on its own."
Peter Brown, GameSpot	8.5/10	"Nintendo has done a good job of creating a "new" experience out of old rags. You're still on a quest to rescue Princess Peach, and the same old Mario mechanics persist, but the challenges along the way feel different. Never have levels been this short, nor the emphasis on perfection so explicit, and these elements work in New Super Luigi U's favor. You don't need to be an expert player to save the princess, but there's room for advanced play in speed-running levels, collecting star coins, and, ultimately, tackling the legendary Rainbow Road. It can be a challenging game if you elect it to be, but it's accessible to a wide range of skill levels. The story is a compulsory component devoid of originality--unless Mario's not only missing but actually dead--and the lack of new power-ups or themes is disappointing, but underneath it all is a positively twisted take on the Mario Bros. formula, and it's an excellent add-on to New Super Mario Bros U."
Thomas Whitehead, Nintendo Life	8/10	"New Super Luigi U is a terrific title for capable platform gamers, with intense and exciting bursts of momentum to put those thumbs to the test. What that does do, however, is make multiplayer even more awkward than before, and possibly puts the title beyond the reach of less experienced gamers, even with the indestructible Nabbit. The sense of the old is thankfully tempered by a fresh feel and clever level design, however, and even if the adventure won't last long for those without completionist instincts, it's fun while it lasts."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		77
GameRankings		75.92%

Sales

As of September 30, 2021, New Super Luigi U is the 8th best selling game for the Wii U, having sold 3.07 million copies worldwide.

References to other games

• Super Mario Bros.: Various Luigi sightings are sprites taken from this game.
• Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2: One of the Luigi sightings is a sprite of Luigi from this Super Mario World version.
• Super Mario 64 DS: The portrait used to enter Big Boo Battle is reused as a hidden Luigi.
• New Super Mario Bros.: The connection between Broozers and snow levels returns in Broozers and Barrels.
• Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon: The Luigi sighting in Vanishing Ghost House is based on Luigi and King Boo's artwork from this game.

References in later games

• Super Mario 3D World: Hidden 8-bit Luigis randomly appear in levels.
• Super Mario Maker series: The main terrain of the Waddlewing Warning! and Piranha Gardens levels appears as one of alternate designs for semisolid platforms in New Super Mario Bros. U-style ground levels. In Super Mario Maker 2, the snowmen from some of Frosted Glacier's levels, albeit much smaller, appear as a cosmetic feature in New Super Mario Bros. U-style snow levels. Additionally, one of alternate designs for semisolid platforms in the forest levels, similarly to the ground theme, is based on the main terrain of the levels Sumo Bro Bridge and Wiggler Floodlands.
• NES Remix 2: Hidden 8-bit Luigis appear in some of the stages.

Trivia

Mario's cap seen on Peach's table

The Luigi pin

• Even though Nabbit helps Luigi in multiplayer mode, Nabbit still steals items from the Toad Houses, and the players will have to catch him. It will not work when Nabbit is playing in Co-op mode, and in single-player mode if the player does the trick to play as Nabbit in the level where Nabbit went, the player will still continue playing as Luigi.
• An in-game time unit in New Super Luigi U is 1 second, while in New Super Mario Bros. U, an in-game time unit lasts only 0.75 seconds.
• New Super Luigi U is the only game in which Luigi appears, but Mario does not. However, Mario is referenced in the game in three ways; in the intro, in which his hat is on the table, in the level Broozers and Barrels, which features a Mario-based snowman at the beginning, and on the Luigi Block, which has Mario's emblem on it.
• US and Canada Club Nintendo members who purchased New Super Luigi U from the Nintendo eShop by August 1, 2013 and completed the surveys within four weeks after downloading could receive double the amount of coins (for a total of 40 coins) compared to the original amount (20 coins). They also had a chance to win 1 of 980 Luigi pins.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	Newニュー スーパールイージ U[?] Nyū Sūpā Ruīji Yū	New Super Luigi U
Chinese (simplified)	New 超级路易吉U[?] New Chāojí Lùyìjí U	New Super Luigi U; as labeled in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.
Chinese (traditional)	New 超級路易吉U[?] New Chāojí Lùyìjí U	New Super Luigi U; as labeled in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.
Korean	뉴 슈퍼 루이지 U[?] Nyu Syupeo Ru'iji U	New Super Luigi U; as labeled in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

External links

• Official American website
• Official European Website
• Official Oceanian Website
• Official Japanese website